Caption: Mia Mottley. Photo: CMC
BRIDGETOWN – Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley Saturday described as “uncharted territory” the events that unfolded in Venezuela over the last few hours resulting in the invasion by United States military of the South American country and the detainment of President Nicolas Maduro, who now faces drugs and terrorism charges in the United States.
Mottley told a news conference that she had been in contact with fellow Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders as well as the CARICOM Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett from early on Saturday morning leading to an urgent meeting of the leaders.
She said that the meeting took place just before dawn “and at that stage we recognised it was too early for us to make any defining comment and that is still the position because as we speak matters are unfolding every half hour to an hour.
“You are aware of the statements being made by different players with the President of the United States… to others,” she said, noting that “where Barbados becomes affected it is on a number of areas”.
She told reporters that this is why Bridgetown has repeated on numerous occasions “that small states can only survive in the international rules based order and for us we have always said that conflict would have consequences”
President Donald Trump says the US is going to “run” Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. He sad US oil companies will fix Venezuela’s “broken infrastructure” and “start making money for the country.”
See links to AZP News coverage of US strikes in Venezuela:
Barbados PM calls for De-escalation of Conflict in Venezuela
US will ‘Run’ Venezuela Until Political Transition – Trump
Police on Heightened Alert after US takes Maduro
Photo of Maduro in Custody: Trump Releases on Truth Social
Machado: Hour of Freedom is here
Venezuela Defence Minister Denounces US Military Intervention
‘Like a Television Show’: Trump Revels in Maduro’s Capture
No más Maduro: Venezuelan President Captured as US Strikes Caracas
Kamla: T&T has Peaceful Relations with Venezuela
CARICOM Monitoring Venezuela Situation
PNM Committed to ‘Zone of Peace’
But in an address on state television, Venezuela’s Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez says Maduro is the country’s only president even as Trump had earlier shared a photo he said was of Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima. The image shows him blindfolded and wearing ear defenders.
Maduro has been indicted in New York on drug and weapons charges. He has previously denied being the leader of drug cartel despite the US placing a ransom of US$50 million on his head. Venezuela has declared a national emergency, denouncing “extremely serious military aggression.”
Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who has been the CARICOM leader most vocal in support of Washington’s claim to fight the illegal drugs trade in the region, issue yet another statement on Saturday saying her country “looks forward to renewed cooperation and the strengthening of our longstanding friendship with the people of Venezuela in the coming years.
“May God guide and protect them as they transition away from years of oppression and dictatorship onto a new pathway toward democracy, justice and prosperity,” she said, after having earlier distanced Port of Spain from any involvement in the military action in Caracas.
Mottley told reporters that both Venezuela and the United States are “our friend” and that in both instances we have family relationships with both countries.
“By the same token the Caribbean Community has been the entity we have chosen as a matter of first principles to align our foreign policy with. When the heads of governments met this morning, all of the persons were not there because it was an emergency early meeting.
“We took a decision that we will wait for other information to become present and when that happens we will certainly act collectively and I do not want in any way to prejudice the integrity of that consultative process with CARICOM.
“Having said that I have been very clear that our principles are very very clear and that small states…can only survive in an international rules based order and that therefore anything that happens that run contrary to that would be of grave concern to us as a people in Barbados, but equally as to the region.
“So without prejudice I will await any further consultation on the specifics of this incident, but I just share with you the principles that mean a lot to us beyond the normal international law of principles,” she told reporters.
She reiterated that any statement from Bridgetown now would be just ‘conjecture” urging reporters ‘to allow the events of the next few days to play out. (CMC)
See links to AZP News coverage of US strikes in Venezuela:
Barbados PM calls for De-escalation of Conflict in Venezuela
US will ‘Run’ Venezuela Until Political Transition – Trump
Police on Heightened Alert after US takes Maduro
Photo of Maduro in Custody: Trump Releases on Truth Social
Machado: Hour of Freedom is here
Venezuela Defence Minister Denounces US Military Intervention
‘Like a Television Show’: Trump Revels in Maduro’s Capture
No más Maduro: Venezuelan President Captured as US Strikes Caracas
Kamla: T&T has Peaceful Relations with Venezuela
CARICOM Monitoring Venezuela Situation
PNM Committed to ‘Zone of Peace’
